Breech-loading ordnance.



A. T. DAWSUN & G. T. BUCKHAM.

BHEECH LoAmNG oRDNANcE.

. APLlCATION FILED APR. 13. 1915. 1,289,690, Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

` 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. T. DAWSON 5L G. T. BUCKHAM.

BREECH LOADING oDNANcE.

- APPLICATION HLED APR. 13| 1915. K 1,289,690. Patented Dec. 3l, 1918. t 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- l 3X 'W g 6, a? f I lTE SARS PATENT OFFCE. y

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON A ND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER, LON- DON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS LIMITED, 0F WESTMINSTER, LONDON,

ENGLAND.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Sir ARTHUR TREvoR DAWSON, knight, and GEORGE THOMAS BUCK- HAM, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, Westminster, in the county of London, En land, have invented certain new and use ul Improvements in or Relating to Breech-Loading Ordnance, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to breech loading ordnance having breech mechanism of the sliding'or wedge type, in which the breech block is operated by a crank carried by or connected to the aXispin of the actuating hand lever and in which the striker is cocked by a lever between which and the operating crank an actuating member or lever is interposed.

According to the present invention the interposed actuating member or lever` is so constructed and arranged as to be capableof independent manual movement to recock the striker so that this member serves both to cock and to re-cock the striker. The said actuating member may comprise two arms one `(termed the intermediate cocking arm) arranged in contact with a projection, such as a roller, onf the crank, and the other (termed the cocking arm) arranged in contact with a projection on the cocking lever and provided with a re-cocking lanyard loop or other operating part or arranged in contact with a re--cocking lever so that movement of the latter effects the re-cocking operation through the said actuating member. The said intermediate cocking arm may be provided with an extension which serves to coperate with a part moving with the crank during the opening and closing of the breech to hold the cocking lever in its cocked position after the projection on the crank has moved out of contact with the intermediate cocking arm during the Opening of the breech mechanism and until the said projection has rengaged with the intermediate cocking arm during the closing of the breech mechanism; by these means the cocking lever is prevented from moving forward if the searfor any` reason does not hold the said lever in its cocked position.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, we will describe the same more fully Bannon-LOADING ORDNANCE.

with reference to the accompanying drawings, inowhichzV Figures l, 2 and 3 are respectively a rear elevation, a side elevation, and a plan showing the breech end of a gun provided with a constructional form of our improvements.

Fig. 4l is a section taken approximately on the line l, l of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to Figs. l, 2 and 3 but with parts thereof in section to show more clearly this constructional form of our improvements.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan showing the aforesaid extension on the intermediate cocking arm cooperating with a part moving with the crank.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are views similar to Figs. 5, 6 and 7 showing another constructional form of our improvements.

Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively a sectional rear elevation and a plan showing on an enlarged scale certain details of Figs. 10 and-11.

In these figures A is the breech end of the gun. B is the sliding breech block. B is the breech actuating hand lever and B2 its spindle. B3 is the operating crank, and B4 the cocking lever which in the example shown also serveslas a firing lever. C, C represent the two'arms of the aforesaid ac tuating member or lever and C2 is Vtheir connecting vertical pivot, the intermediate cocking arm C lying as aforesaid in contact with a roller b3 on the operating crank, and the cocking arm C lying in Contact with a projection b4 on the cocking and firing lever. c represents the aforesaid extension on the intermediate cocking arm C for cooperating with a part moving with the crank.

The operating crank B3 in the examples shown, is pivoted at B3x in the breech ring and carries a cross-head b3* engaging in a B3X is arranged infront of the saidlvertieal pivot. l'Vlhen nthe breech "actiiatingn lever B is angular-ly deaeleeed te ,epee the breeeh, the. Operating ere'nki lemevelyte ee anticlo'ckwise direction""(Fig.'f 7)' and the roller 63 coperates With the Vintermedilate Y `8 during'fthe opening'othe breechfth'e eX -tension c on the intermediateA 'cocking'lever C lies against the aforesaidblock'bgfonthe operating crank and the; cookingV and firing lever'Bv4 is retained inits vdecked"`fp'os it1oh' even 'if the'sear fis AVno longerholding'fit cocked i this( retaining 'of Ythe cocling and,

firing lever. only ceases when the breech block isassuming its closed Vand vlo' c ln,d' position in .which conditionv the roller b3 which had during the opening' movement been ycar-V ried out ,of engagement with *they ilterrneV` diate. cocking resumes engagement therevvith.` Y c breeh drlng thewrn out movement of the v guinad i td enable thief rgb" be enacted .the

crank aXis p inB3X carries a' toothed segment of the cranlais pin.

gages`4 'vvitha' pavvl on the,v cradle when the gun runs o t'after recoih upper' end Ofrece; spindle is @weer pinionV b2* (Figs. 2' and 3)' engaging'wvith a rack B* e mig.' 'werden meente-die @he heee levee ABL The breechclosing spring Bf* is interV hand lever Bf yvvhen desired.'

In, the eelietreeienellferi 0f, the leventhe crank-axis pfngB? andthe vertieelpvet Y Yo2 of. the eeekng eed intermediate eeekng.

Figsi r we exepp 'than m teldgby' e 'een' rereeekmg tedfatoxiinthe'bre meeheme sehe il appl the' breech actuating hand lever heilig YW hat lWe "claim andY desire secrire'by said-'factuating-- mechanism and the'lever for Y Y v cessit'ating 'the opening ofV tlie'breech." Y This'constrnction is particularly applicas ble to semifaiitomatic gear foropemng the et,efeliemberleepeeed between Seid ee; e tuetleg meehememl enel thelerer fer .eeekee 1015915' the' Strikercend the..

thereefi ef; e lever eterpeeedg felt eeliiajehe' 'e Y of the'breechk' 'said ,interposed ,meente@.eefeheY ferrer er@ ef *ehe erelle 'exis r pin Ef* 91nd being moved in a clockwise direetleurte Open thebreeeh `Letters Patentkffthe` United' States is 70 '1. ,breech ,mechan'ism the *combination 'With the operating mechanism of the breech block, the striker andthe cockingl leverVV thereohmofa member interposed between Y cocking the striker during the opening of 1 the breech, said member being vcapable*of i independent movement 'torefcock the striker Without necessitating Ythe openingV of; "theV breech.

2. In breech mechanismthe combination with the operating mechanism of thelbreech" block, the striker and the cocking andriiring lever 'fthe'reof of a 'memberinterposed'bel 3 tween 'said aetuaaingemechanismi andthe' cooking and lining lever for vcockmg the`V striker during theV` opening of the breech, said ymemberbeing capable of independent. 'movement to rer-cock the striker vvthotfnenj Y 3: In sliding blockbreech mechanism, the:

Combination with the iolgaeieangmeeiiaaiesi of the breech block, theV striker; Aanfcl*the cocking lever" ther'e'ol';V off a "member intery fthegopeningeofthe -1f 1-`eci1, 1sari'member;as;V Tlie'loWerendp spindle terminates. in acam B4Xwh1ch enee-eeeeee, ef re-'cock fthe striker "without necessitating the ,A .c c. i c .c neeeeefeteg' the ereeieg' ef theblreleeh l said pivot is arranged in front of vthe ,crankv @.Xln- Icnrthie easethevrei-,eeekipg opere- Wiaehe @peeing maliens@ 'o @een wearing-neer and;thecoriflerer .1 A. ,c ,.lefelfibes eepeble ef .lineepeeeent movemeneee ver-Cerere' the strik -r vwither@neeeeeit@flieg fleeeienng;L oir the Iereeeei Y* 7. ln Vslidingblock breech mechanism7 the 130 11pV In breeeh meeherem,lthefeeelbnateil,

llel' ,diaries the Opening ,121e

CII

combination with the operating crank of the breech block, the striker and the cooking lever thereof, of a pivot pin carried by the breech block, an arm on said pivot pin for engaging with said crank, a second arm on said pivot pin for engaging with said cocking lever, and means for operating said arms 4 to re-cock the striker without necessitating the opening of the breech.

8. In sliding block breech mechanism, the combination with the operating crank of the breech block, the Striker and the cocking and yfiring lever engaging with said striker, of a vertical pivot pin carried by the breech'block, an arm on the upper part of said pivot pin for engaging with said crank, a second arm on the lower part of said pivot pin for engaging with said cooking and ring lever, and means for operating said arms to re-cock the striker without necessitating the opening of the breech.

9. In sliding block breech mechanism, the combination with the operating crank of Jthe breech block, the striker and the cooking lever thereof, of a pivot pin carried by the breech block, an arm on said pivot pin for engaging with said crank, a second arm on said pivot pin for engaging with said cocking lever, `and a re-cocking extension on said second arm. l

10. In breech mechanism, the combination with the operating mechanism of the breech block, the striker and the cooking lever thereof, of a member interposed between said actuating mechanism and the lever Jfor cocking the striker during the opening of the breech and means for retaining said member in its cocked position while the breech is open.

11. In sliding block breech mechanism, the combination with the operating crank of the breech block, the striker and the cocking lever thereof, of a member interposed between said crank and the lever for cooking the striker during the opening of the breech and means carried by the crank for retaining kthe member in tscocked position when the crank moves out of engagement with said member.

12. In sliding block breech mechanism, the combination with the operating crank of the breech block, the striker and the cooking lever thereof, of a member interposed between said crank and lever for cooking the striker during the opening of the breech, an arm on said member, and means carried by the crank for coperating with said arm to retain the member in its cocked position during the time that the crank is out of engagement with said member.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM.

Witnesses:

HENRY KING, JN0. R. CASWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ot Patents, Washington, D. C. 

